CHAPTER 802a*
WILLS: EXECUTION AND CONSTRUCTION

*Annotations to former chapter 785 (Sec. 45-160 et seq.):

No intention to the contrary being found in the language of a will or in the circumstances surrounding its execution the
words "lawful issue ..., share and share alike," are interpreted as per stirpes and not per capita. 150 C. 120.

A promise to compensate for services by will may be express or implied. 23 CS 62.

History: P.A. 80-476 deleted provision stating that every devise purporting to convey all real estate of testator shall be
construed to convey all real estate belonging to him at time of death "unless if clearly appears by his will that he intended
otherwise"; P.A. 88-107 substituted reference to persons "eighteen years of age or older" for reference to persons "of the
age of eighteen"; Sec. 45-160 transferred to Sec. 45a-250 in 1991.

Sec. 45a-251. (Formerly Sec. 45-161). Making and execution of wills. Wills
executed outside the state. A will or codicil shall not be valid to pass any property
unless it is in writing, subscribed by the testator and attested by two witnesses, each of
them subscribing in the testator's presence; but any will executed according to the laws
of the state or country where it was executed may be admitted to probate in this state
and shall be effectual to pass any property of the testator situated in this state.

(1949 Rev., S. 6951; 1971, P.A. 240; P.A. 80-476, S. 232.)

History: 1971 act required that wills be attested by two rather than three witnesses; P.A. 80-476 rephrased provisions
and substituted "property" for "estate"; Sec. 45-161 transferred to Sec. 45a-251 in 1991.

Annotations to former section 45-161:

Probate judge is competent witness. 1 R. 462; 2 R. 232. Executor is competent witness. 1 R. 494; 8 C. 262. Parol
evidence of mistake in drafting will not admissible. 6 C. 270; 8 C. 266. Degree of uncertainty required to render will void.
8 C. 51; 35 C. 111. Inhabitants of a school district legatee are competent witnesses. 1 D. 35. Order in which testator and
witnesses subscribe their names immaterial. 25 C. 231. Joint will undertaking to operate only as will of one who dies first,
valid. 26 C. 455. Joint wills. Id.; 67 C. 317. Prior to statute of 1856, a will executed in another state according to laws of
that state, but not of this, by person here domiciled who afterwards becomes domiciled and dies here held invalid. 33 C.
135. Formerly will might be void as to devises of real estate and good as to legacies of personal property. 34 C. 484.
Incorporation of extrinsic papers. 40 C. 272; 77 C. 240; Id., 612; 79 C. 511. Unnecessary that witnesses should subscribe
in each other's presence. 43 C. 85. Unnecessary that witness should know it is a will. 47 C. 460. Declarations of testator
at time will is made not admissible to alter it. 49 C. 565. Cited. 50 C. 339. Contra, between years 1875 and 1885. 57 C.
182. Execution governed by statute in force when will is made. Id., 187. Cited. 68 C. 245. History of law; section to be
strictly followed. 74 C. 302; 79 C. 511. Proof of will where one witness cannot be found. 74 C. 257. Oral or nuncupative
will invalid. Id., 304. Execution of will not intelligible to untrained mind on assurance of attorney that it accomplishes
purpose. 78 C. 410. Will executed in New York, with only two witnesses, upheld. 80 C. 443. Holographic will executed
in France upheld. 86 C. 630. Use of English language by one not understanding it. 88 C. 136. Proof where will more than
thirty years old and witnesses cannot be found. 91 C. 265. Requirements in proof of will. 92 C. 251; 93 C. 55. Testator
need not sign in witnesses' presence if he acknowledges his signature in their presence. Id. Trust agreement providing for
distribution of life insurance proceeds when received after insured's death held not testamentary. 119 C. 570. Transfers
not in compliance with this section and intended solely to create interests to arise at death are void; transferor's intent may
be shown by parol. 127 C. 167. Transfers of deposits creating present interests held not testamentary. Id., 169. Cited. 128
C. 380. Provision of partnership agreement that share of deceased partner should pass to widow held not testamentary.
131 C. 277. Statements of testator are admissible for purpose of identifying property referred to if they explain latent
ambiguity in will and are not dispositive. Id. Transfer of property not valid where there is intent solely to create interests
arising at death. 136 C. 611. Cited. 139 C. 494. Two witnesses failed to meet requirement of statute. Id., 549. This section
is prohibitive and exhaustive with relation to one's power to dispose of property after death by will. 143 C. 498. Cited.
147 C. 566. Purported transfer of property, with intent presently to transfer no interest but to defer transfer until death, can
be validly accomplished only by instrument complying with Statute of Wills, but if transferor's intent is presently to transfer
interests, even though possession and enjoyment are deferred until transferor's death, instrument will ordinarily be valid
as against attack as attempted testamentary disposition of property by deed. 149 C. 138. History discussed. 152 C. 204.
"Borrowing provision" applies equally to foreign wills and foreign codicils. Id., 205. Letter not meeting statutory requirements held ineffective. Id., 243. Even if contestant affirmatively pleads lack of due execution, burden of proving due
execution of will is on proponent. 156 C. 575. Error for court to charge that all witnesses to will must testify to having
seen testatrix' signature on will. That will had been signed before their attestation can be proved by other evidence. Id.
Cited. 172 C. 529. Cited. 174 C. 193. Admissibility of extrinsic evidence to prove a mistake by scrivener discussed. 188
C. 1.

Validity of oral directions for distribution of trust fund after death of donor depends on whether or not donor parted
with title or intended it to vest after her death. 3 CS 152. Revoking instrument need not be executed with the formalities
of this section. 18 CS 34. In interpreting a will the court endeavors to find the intent of the testator as disclosed by the
language of his will. 21 CS 23. Probate court is only tribunal competent to decide question of due execution of a will. 23
CS 101. Attorney drafting will owes duty to legatees to exercise reasonable care. 26 CS 378. Lack of privity held not a
bar to suit by legatees against attorney for negligent drafting of will. Id., 378.

PART II
REVOCATION, CONSTRUCTION OF WILLS

Sec. 45a-257. (Formerly Sec. 45-162). Revocation of will. Except as provided
by sections 45a-257a to 45a-257d, inclusive, a will or codicil shall not be revoked in
any other manner except by burning, cancelling, tearing or obliterating it by the testator
or by some person in the testator's presence by the testator's direction, or by a later will
or codicil.

History: 1967 act applied provisions to testators divorced after making a will and specified that revocation by divorce
is effective only with respect to wills executed on and after October 1, 1967; P.A. 73-373 added references to dissolution
of marriage; P.A. 75-233 added reference to children born as a result of A.I.D. and made previous provisions Subsec. (b),
inserting new Subsec. (a); P.A. 77-17 applied provisions to annulled marriages in Subsec. (b); P.A. 79-569 added proviso
in Subsec. (b) whereby divorce or annulment or dissolution of marriage does not revoke will if testator's spouse was not
a beneficiary; P.A. 80-476 deleted former Subsec. (a) whereby terms such as "child", "issue", "heir", "descendant" etc.
deemed to include children born as result of A.I.D., effective with respect to wills, etc. issued on or after October 1, 1975,
designated former Subsec. (b) as Subsecs. (a) and (b) and rephrased provisions; Sec. 45-162 transferred to Sec. 45a-257
in 1991; P.A. 96-95 deleted former Subsec. (a) re implied revocation of will by marriage, divorce, annulment, dissolution,
birth or adoption and amended former Subsec. (b) by adding references to Secs. 45a-257a to 45a-257d, inclusive; P.A. 96-202 changed effective date of P.A. 96-95 from October 1, 1996, to January 1, 1997.

Annotations to former section 45-162:

Quaere, whether a will devising real estate attested by three witnesses is revoked by later will having two witnesses
only. 4 D. 66. Will may be revoked by writing on back of it. 2 C. 68. If expressly revoked in later will, it is not revived by
destruction of latter; 3 C. 578; quaere under present statute. 50 C. 566. Prior to 1821, a will could be revoked by parol. 5
C. 167. Bequest once made will not be revoked by codicil unless such revocation clearly appears. 32 C. 446. Divorce does
not revoke bequest to wife. 48 C. 503. Revocation of second will (not expressly revoking former one) revives former. 50
C. 567. Statute does not operate retrospectively. 55 C. 181. Prior to 1885, marriage alone did not operate as revocation.
Id., 179. Effect of revoking legacy by codicil where will has residuary clause. 65 C. 159. Cancellation must be with intent
to revoke; if done with mistaken belief as to valid execution of another will, no revocation. Id., 156; 70 C. 294; 79 C. 125.
Republication as bringing will into provisions of law existing then. 67 C. 379; 88 C. 286; Id., 404. "Cancellation" must
be done by testator or some person in his presence by his direction. 68 C. 242. If cancellation of portion works alteration
in another portion of will, attempted revocation is invalid. Id., 245. Codicil as revoking will. 70 C. 288; 73 C. 122; 76 C.
263; 83 C. 654. Burden of proof on issue of revocation. 77 C. 640; 87 C. 579. Ademption of gift as in effect a revocation.
79 C. 364. Effect of execution of later will without revoking clause. 87 C. 579. "Provision" for after born issue means
"prevision". 95 C. 197; 106 C. 79. Execution of will with revoking clause is inoperative until death; if destroyed before
death gives it effect, former will is left operative. 98 C. 26. Subsequent birth of child revokes will in toto. 106 C. 79.
Adoption held to revoke will providing small annuity for the child as "member of my household", but not mentioning the
contingency of adoption. 126 C. 369. A paper signed by testator and two witnesses purporting to revoke any wills or
codicils, heretofore made, was neither a "cancelling" of the will nor a revocation of it. 139 C. 549. Doctrine of "dependent
relative revocation" not applicable when contrary intent of testator appears. 150 C. 569. Mistaken belief of testator is basis
for doctrine of "dependent relative revocation". Id. Cited. 152 C. 206; 400, 403-405.

An actual gift to the after-born child is not required in order to save a will. 15 CS 111. Instrument revoking will signed
by testator and by two witnesses a valid revocation. Essential element of revocation is intent. 18 CS 34. Reference in a
will to the possibility of marriage to any person at any time, held sufficient compliance with this section so that the will
is not impliedly revoked by a subsequent marriage. 21 CS 92. Substitution of one name, as a beneficiary, for another held
an ineffectual alteration of a will but since there was no intent to revoke the whole will and the original provision was
established, the will with the original provision must be given effect. Id., 126. Cutting out of certain provisions in a will
held to be a valid revocation of those provisions. Id. Cited. 30 CS 171.

Sec. 45a-257a. Failure of testator to provide for surviving spouse who married
testator after execution of will. Determination of share of estate. (a) If a testator fails
to provide by will for the testator's surviving spouse who married the testator after the
execution of the will, the surviving spouse shall receive the same share of the estate the
surviving spouse would have received if the decedent left no will unless: (1) It appears
from the will that the omission was intentional; or (2) the testator provided for the spouse
by transfer outside the will and the intent that the transfer be in lieu of a testamentary
provision is shown by the testator's statements, or is reasonably inferred from the amount
of the transfer or other evidence.

(b) In satisfying a share provided in subsection (a) of this section, devises and legacies made by the will abate in accordance with section 45a-426.

(c) A surviving spouse receiving a share under this section may not elect to take a
statutory share under section 45a-436.

(P.A. 96-95, S. 1; 96-202, S. 12; P.A. 98-52, S. 10.)

History: P.A. 96-202 changed effective date of P.A. 96-95 from October 1, 1996, to January 1, 1997; P.A. 98-52 added
Subsec. (c) prohibiting surviving spouse from electing to take statutory share if receiving a share under this section.

(1) If the testator had no child living when the testator executed the will, an omitted
after-born or after-adopted child receives a share in the estate equal in value to that
which the child would have received had the testator died intestate, unless the will
devised or bequeathed all or substantially all of the estate to the other parent of the
omitted child and that other parent survives the testator and is entitled to take under
the will.

(2) If the testator had one or more children living when the testator executed the
will, and the will devised or bequeathed property or an interest in property to one or
more of the then-living children, an omitted after-born or after-adopted child is entitled
to share in the testator's estate as follows:

(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (E) of this subdivision, the portion of the
testator's estate in which the omitted after-born or after-adopted child is entitled to
share is limited to devises and legacies made to the testator's then-living children under
the will.

(B) The omitted after-born or after-adopted child is entitled to receive the share of
the testator's estate, as limited in subparagraph (A) of this subdivision, that the child
would have received had the testator included all omitted after-born and after-adopted
children with the children to whom devises and legacies were made under the will and
had given an equal share of the estate to each child.

(C) To the extent feasible, the interest granted an omitted after-born or after-adopted
child under this section must be of the same character, whether equitable or legal, present
or future, as that devised or bequeathed to the testator's then-living children under
the will.

(D) In satisfying a share provided by this subdivision, devises and legacies to the
testator's children who were living when the will was executed abate ratably. In the
abatement of the devises and legacies of the then-living children, to the maximum extent
possible the character of the testamentary plan adopted by the testator shall be preserved.

(E) If it appears from the will that the intention of the testator was to make a limited
provision which specifically applied only to the testator's living children at the time the
will was executed, the after-born or after-adopted child succeeds to the portion of such
testator's estate as would have passed to such child had the testator died intestate.

(b) The provisions of subsection (a) of this section shall not apply if:

(1) It appears from the will that the omission was intentional; or

(2) The testator provided for the omitted after-born or after-adopted child by transfer
outside the will and the intent that the transfer be in lieu of a testamentary provision is
shown by the testator's statements or is reasonably inferred from the amount of the
transfer or other evidence.

(c) If at the time of execution of the will the testator fails to provide in the will for
a living child solely because the testator believes the child to be dead, the child is entitled
to share in the estate as if the child were an omitted after-born or after-adopted child.

(d) In satisfying a share provided in subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of this section,
devises and legacies made by the will abate in accordance with section 45a-426.

Sec. 45a-257c. Marriage of testator terminated after execution of will. Provisions of will re former spouse revoked. If, after executing a will, the testator's marriage
is terminated by dissolution, divorce or annulment, the dissolution, divorce or annulment
shall revoke any disposition or appointment of property made by the will to the former
spouse, any provision conferring a general or special power of appointment on the former
spouse, and any nomination of the former spouse as executor, trustee, conservator,
guardian or other fiduciary, unless the will expressly provides otherwise. Property prevented from passing to a former spouse due to revocation by dissolution, divorce or
annulment shall pass as if the former spouse failed to survive the testator, and other
provisions conferring power or office on the former spouse shall be interpreted as if the
spouse failed to survive the testator. If provisions of the will of the testator are revoked
solely by this section, such provisions shall be revived by the testator's remarriage to
the former spouse. A decree of separation which does not terminate the status of husband
and wife is not a dissolution or divorce for the purposes of this section.

Sec. 45a-258. (Formerly Sec. 45-172). Devise or bequest to subscribing witness. Every devise or bequest given in any will or codicil to a subscribing witness, or
to the husband or wife of such subscribing witness, shall be void unless such will or
codicil is legally attested without the signature of such witness, or unless such devisee
or legatee is an heir to the testator. The competency of such witness shall not be affected
by any such devise or bequest. The interest of any witness in any community, church,
society, association or corporation, beneficially interested in any devise or bequest, shall
not affect such devise or bequest or the competency of such witness.

At common law legatee could not be witness. 2 R. 313. Inhabitant of school district legatee competent witness. 1 D.
35. At common law, increase of fund in which witness is interested renders him incompetent. 6 C. 108. Unnecessary that
devise to heir should be the same as he would have inherited if no will were made. 23 C. 8. Witness must be competent at
time of attestation. 26 C. 199. Cited. 57 C. 282; 98 C. 334. Doctrine of dependent relative revocation applied. 140 C. 311.
Cited. 156 C. 580.

Sec. 45a-259. (Formerly Sec. 45-173). Reference to document creating trust.
The reference in a will or codicil to a trust document by which a devise or bequest is
made to such trust shall not thereby cause such trust or such part of the assets thereof
distributed to it by such devise or bequest to be subject to the jurisdiction of the probate
court in which such will or codicil is admitted to probate.

History: 1959 act deleted requirement that trust document be executed and acknowledged by testator, spouse, parent
or child and witnessed by at least two persons, deleted requirement that substitute trustees be corporate trustees authorized
to act as such within state and deleted provisions governing incorporation of trust provisions in will and administration of
bequest or devise as a testamentary trust; 1961 act deleted detailed provisions specifying validity or invalidity of devise
or bequest in will, retaining only provision which stated that reference to trust document in a will or codicil does not make
trust subject to jurisdiction of probate court; 1963 act made technical correction, deleting repetition of words "by such
trust or such part of the assets thereof distributed to it"; Sec. 45-173 transferred to Sec. 45a-259 in 1991.

Sec. 45a-260. (Formerly Sec. 45-173a). Uniform Testamentary Additions to
Trusts Act. (a) A will may validly devise or bequeath property to the trustee or trustees
of a trust established or to be established (1) during the testator's lifetime by the testator,
by the testator and some other person or persons, or by some other person or persons
including a funded or unfunded life insurance trust, although the trustor has reserved
any or all rights of ownership of the insurance contracts, or (2) at the testator's death
by the testator's devise to the trustee or trustees if the trust is identified in the testator's
will or codicil and its terms are set forth in a written instrument, other than a will or
codicil, executed before, concurrently with, or after the execution of the testator's will
or in another individual's will if that other individual has predeceased the testator, regardless of the existence, size, or character of the corpus of the trust. The devise or
bequest shall not be invalid because the trust is amendable or revocable, or because the
trust was amended after the execution of the will or after the testator's death.

(b) Unless the testator's will provides otherwise, property devised or bequeathed
to a trust described in subsection (a) of this section is not held under a testamentary trust
of the testator but becomes a part of the trust to which it is devised or bequeathed, and
shall be administered and disposed of in accordance with the provisions of the governing
instrument setting forth the terms of the trust, including any amendments thereto made
before or after the testator's death.

(c) Unless the testator's will provides otherwise, a revocation or termination of the
trust before the testator's death shall cause the devise or bequest to lapse.

(d) This section shall be effective as to (1) any devise or bequest made by a will
executed on or after October 1, 1994, and (2) any devise or bequest made by a will
executed prior to October 1, 1994, provided the testator was living on said date.

(e) This section shall be so construed as to effectuate its general purpose to make
uniform the law of those states which enact it.

(f) This section may be cited as the "Uniform Testamentary Additions to Trusts
Act".

History: 1963 act rephrased Subsec. (a)(1) and in (a)(2) included codicils and specified applicability "regardless of the
date such person's will or any codicil thereto was executed"; 1967 act specified in Subsec. (b) that section is effective with
respect to devise or bequest in any will executed on or after October 1, 1961; Sec. 45-173a transferred to Sec. 45a-260 in
1991; P.A. 94-96 rephrased provisions of former Subsec. (a), dividing former Subsec. (a) into Subsecs. (a) to (c) and
amended Subsec. (d), making section effective to any devise or bequest by will executed on or after October 1, 1994, or
to any devise or bequest by will executed prior to October 1, 1994, provided testator was living on said date; P.A. 07-217
made technical changes in Subsec. (b), effective July 12, 2007.

Sec. 45a-262. (Formerly Sec. 45-161a). Words of inheritance apply to child
born through A.I.D. The words "child", "children", "issue", "descendants", "descendant", "heirs", "heir", "unlawful heirs", "grandchild" and "grandchildren", when used
in the singular or plural in any will or trust instrument, shall, unless such document
clearly indicates a contrary intention, be deemed to include children born as a result of
A.I.D. The provisions of this section shall apply to wills and trust instruments whether
or not executed before, on or after October 1, 1975, unless the instrument indicates an
intent to the contrary.

Sec. 45a-265. (Formerly Sec. 45-174). Gift to spouse; reference to federal provisions re estate tax and marital deduction. When any will, offered for probate in this
state, makes provision for a gift, whether outright or in trust, to or for the benefit of the
spouse of the testator or testatrix, such gift shall not be held to be invalid on any of the
following grounds: (1) That the amount of any such gift is required to be computed
or ascertained by reference to the federal statutes, or any treasury regulation issued
thereunder, authorizing the allowance of a marital deduction in the computation of the
federal estate tax or by reference to determinations or settlements of any kind whatsoever, whether by agreement, litigation or otherwise, in the proceedings for the assessment of said federal estate tax in the estate of such testator or testatrix; (2) that any such
gift is required to be satisfied only by property which qualifies under said federal statutes,
or such regulation, for such marital deduction; or (3) that any property allotted to the
satisfaction of any such gift is required to be allotted at the values determined for such
property, whether by agreement, litigation or otherwise, in such proceedings for the
assessment of said federal estate tax or at values to be determined in any other reasonable
manner.

Sec. 45a-266. (Formerly Sec. 45-175a). Encumbrances on property of decedent or on proceeds of insurance policy on life of decedent not chargeable against
assets of decedent's estate. (a) Where any property, subject to any lien, security interest
or other charge at the time of the decedent's death, is specifically disposed of by will,
passes to a distributee, or passes to a joint tenant under a right of survivorship, or where
the proceeds of any policy of insurance on the life of the decedent are payable to a named
beneficiary and such policy is subject to any lien, security interest or other charge, the
fiduciary, as defined in section 45a-353, is not responsible for the satisfaction of such
encumbrance out of the assets of the decedent's estate, unless, in the case of a will,
the testator has expressly or by necessary implication indicated otherwise. A general
provision in the will for the payment of debts is not such an indication.

(b) Any such encumbrance is chargeable against the property of the decedent or the
proceeds of a policy of insurance on the life of the decedent, subject thereto. Nothing in
this section imposes upon a testamentary beneficiary, distributee, joint tenant or named
insurance beneficiary any personal liability for the payment of the debt secured by such
encumbrance.

(c) Where any lien, security interest or other charge encumbers: (1) Property passing
to two or more persons, the interest of each such person shall, only as between such
persons, bear its proportionate share of the total encumbrance; (2) two or more properties, each such property shall, only as between the recipients thereof, bear its proportionate share of the total encumbrance.

History: Section applicable with respect to all wills and codicils executed on and after October 1, 1971; P.A. 73-297
substituted "mortgage" for "secured debt" and "security interest"; P.A. 80-476 substituted "real property" for "real estate";
P.A. 87-384 deleted former provisions and added provisions re responsibility of fiduciary for encumbrances on property
of decedent or on proceeds of life insurance; P.A. 90-230 corrected an internal reference in Subsec. (a); Sec. 45-175a
transferred to Sec. 45a-266 in 1991; P.A. 93-67 applied provisions to property passing to a joint tenant under right of
survivorship.